Happy Wanderings The Official Newsletter of the Happy (OK) Wanderers

South Central

Area

FMCA

An Affiliated Chapter of the Family Motor Coach Association

more

information

Vol. XXII

Issue 2 May, 2013

Be Prepared for a Shocking good time at the

National Severe Storms Lab in Norman…

...with a return to

the friendly

campground of the

Potawatomi Nation

in Shawnee for our

home base during

the rally. Make

plans now to attend

this rally and be in-

volved in all of

the special ac-

tivities that are

planned.

Remember the

deadline is

Monday May 6.

Be sure that you get your regis-

trations in for the May Rally in

Shawnee today because it is

due May 6 and you do not want

to miss any of the activities that

are planned. From a tour of

the National Weather Center to

a chance to work on a craft or

attend a tech seminar - this

rally will have something for

everyone!

Also, check out the story about

the wonderful rally in Mineral

Wells, TX (Santo) that was held

in March . Coffee Creek was a

great location and the hosts did

a great job with activities, food

and a good time.

For those of you that attended

the April Rally at the Texas

Motor Speedway, don’t worry,

you have not been overlooked.

We will have a special guest

writer that will be telling us

about that rally in a special

second edition of Happy Wan-

derings that will be in your e-

mail box early next week.

May Page 2

Elected Officers-2013 President

Dave and Darlene Demuth

1st Vice-President Frank and Sandy Taber

2nd Vice-President

Randy and Beth Plant

3rd Vice-President Don & Lavonna Kinnamon

Secretary

Gail and Sonny Rose

Treasurer Dave and Janie Ruttman

National Director

Judy Janicke

Alt. Nat. Director Gary VanFossen

2014

Nominating Committee Mary Powell

Carl Threlkeld Gilbert Stagner

Member Support Membership Betty Shedrick

Hospitality Lois Austin

Profile Editor

Celeste Rodden

Club Clothing Judy Janicke

Webmaster John Trivette

Newsletter Earl Powell

Devotional Leader

Dave Ruttman

“Mr. Coffee” Carl Threlkeld

Rally Sites for 2013

March 21-24 Coffee Creek RV Resort

Santo, TX

April 18-21 Texas Motor Speedway

(With Red River Rovers)

Ft. Worth, TX (No early arrivals or extended stays)

May 16-19 Citizen Potawatomi

Family Resort Shawnee, OK

June 19-22 FMCA 50th

Anniversary Rally Gillette, WY

June 27-30

Choctaw KOA Durant, OK

September 5-9

Coachlight RV Park Carthage, MO

September 11-15 South Central Rally

Fairgrounds Sedalia, MO

October 17-19 Water’s Edge

RV Resort Langley, OK

TBA Christmas Luncheon

Stroud, OK

Month Location Host Team

(Blank Boxes indicate that additional volunteers hosts are needed) (You may volunteer by contacting the Plant’s or the first host in the month)

March

21 - 24

Coffee

Creek

Resort

Plant, Demuth, Bivin, Standridge, Waldron

April

18 – 21

Texas

Motor

Speed-

Idell (This rally is a joint rally with the Red River Rover Chapter and requires

no additional Host to assist with the rally. If you can help host consider one

of the other rallies that has an empty box to host.)

May

16 – 19

Citizen

Pota-

watomi

RV

Powell, Mushrush, Janicke, Shelton, Slutz,

Vignati, Sartwell

June Choctaw Sasser, Kinnamon, Walker, Murdoch, Curtis, Davis

Sept.

5 – 9

Coach-

light Rodden, Stagner, Wise, Garrelts, Timchak, Hartman, Messner

October

17 – 20

Water’s

Edge RV

Park

Wadley, Taber, Cleavelin, Waller, Hinderliter, Austin/

Shedrick

Business Meeting Saturday, May 18th, at 10:30 in the North Meet-

ing Hall of the Potawatomi Campground in Shawnee, Oklahoma.

May Page 3

Natty Flat’s, Krazy Water, Thurber

ghost town Museum and beautiful

Texas hills made our first rally memo-

rable. Coffee Creek RV Resort in

Santo, TX was a great location for a

spring rally—complete with vistas of

cows, a few spring rains, sunny days

and a few colder ones. But nothing

stopped us from gathering at coach-

es for visiting and snacks or in the

rally room for wonderful meals,

games and great fellowship.

Special thanks to the Hosts who got

the rally year off to a great start:

Beth and Randy Plant, Julie and Ste-

ve Bivin, LaVonda and Gary Wal-

dron, Darlene and Dave Demuth,

Cindy and Roy Standridge, and Carl

Threlkeld.

President Dave Demuth welcomed

members and guests and thanked

the Cleavelin’s for locating such a

great rally room and campground.

Guests included Normal Hamel from

Wichita Falls, TX, a member of the

Red River Rovers and guest of June

Guess who shared a cabin; Oloran

Hubl, Elizabeth and David Hubl’s

son, and Darline and George Archer,

full-timers and Founding members of

the Coaches for Christ, who shared

their musical talents and friendships.

The Archer’s were guests of the

Wadley’s and Taber’s.

Thinking of you cards were signed

and mailed to Dick and Helen Stickle,

Lois Hinderliter, and Bill Black, who

have health concerns.

Robert of RV MobileLube spent three

long days servicing about a dozen of

our coaches to prepare us for the

year on the road. Every once in a

while, the hosts or someone would

get him to eat a meal or a sandwich

but he was one of the busiest fellows

at the rally (other than the hosts).

Special thanks also to Jim Sturdivant,

who is becoming our rally photogra-

pher by supplying both Earl Powell

and John Trivette photos for the

newsletter and website.

Rod Sartwell, South Central Rally

Master and Six-State Rally Associa-

tion Senior Vice President, and our

own member, expressed thanks to

all the Happy OK Wanderers who

have and continue to contribute to

the Fall South Central rallies:

Wadley’s, Gilliland’s, Idell’s, Powell’s,

Hinderliter’s, Slutz’s, Guess’,

Sartwell’s, and Taber’s—and our

members who have volunteered to

work as a group.

Many of these people will travel to

Sedalia in early April to the Planning

Meeting for 2013. Rod reviewed that

Sedalia now has 250 50- amp full

hookup sites (so hurry to get your reg-

istration in). All campsites will be on

grass with full hookups. Leroy Hin-

derliter is expanding the seminars to

include several education and histori-

cal topics. Rod also announced that

Beaumont will not be the site of the

2014 Rally, as planned. Shreveport,

LA will host the 2014 rally.

Crazy Cards and Julie’s “Old Geezer”

warnings were enjoyed by all follow-

ing a bounteous Thursday evening

meal of brown or white beans ‘n ham,

coleslaw, cornbread and chocolate or

white cakes. The food, fun and fel-

lowship got everyone involved.

Friday’s breakfast of biscuits, scram-

bled eggs, sausage and fruit prepared

Texas Hill Country Spring Fun

Rally attendees to the Coffee Creek Rally

in March take time to visit in the club room

before one of the meals served at the

rally. Everyone enjoyed a chance to mix

and renew friendships after a long winter.

Story continues on Page 4

May Page 4

us for a great day of seeing the

sights. Many returned just in time to

carpool to Millsap to the Brazos River

Catfish Café for a very tasty meal.

Julie and Steve had everyone’s indi-

vidual meal choices recorded and the

serving proceeded quickly and effi-

ciently thanks to them. The catfish,

hushpuppies, and coleslaw or grilled

chicken, rolls, salad and beans were

delicious. But the chocolate or coco-

nut cream pies or bread puddings

seemed to spark high interest, too.

Hand and Foot, poker and Skip-Bo

entertained many upon return to the

rally room.

Saturday was a cooler day but the

hosts warmed our tummies with bis-

cuits, sausage gravy, fruit, juice, milk

and Carl’s coffee to get us started.

Many visited in the rally room; some

did more touring. The tantalizing

smell of roast beef led us to the deli-

cious open-faced roast beef sand-

wiches with mashed potatoes, and

garden salads or coleslaw for dinner.

Mrs. Fields’ pecan or German choco-

late pies with ice cream were the

dessert treats.

A rowdy and rousing game of Bunco

had everyone buzzing and moving to

meet new partners. Beth and Julie

presented prizes of Easter candy to

go along with all the colorful Easter

table decorations.

Billy Idell encouraged participation at

the April TX Speedway Rally and

warned about the ongoing road con-

struction. Mary Powell announced a

tour of the National Weather Center

in Norman for the May rally to be

held in Shawnee.

Donuts and juice were the fare for

our Sunday breakfast. Ron Wadley

shared his devotional on God’s pres-

ence in our lives. He was joined by

the uplifting music of the Archer’s—

both as vocalists and Darline on the

keyboard. In addition to some well-

loved songs for group singing, Dar-

line and George premiered two of

Ron Wadley’s original songs of

praise, which they have set to music.

What a wonderful way to send us on

our next journeys.

RALLY PARTICIPANTS

Frank and Sandy Taber, Earl and

Mary Powell, Billy and Jeannette

Idell, Ron and Betty Wadley, Jim and

Sandy Sturdivant, Marvin and Chris

Curtis, Darrell and Grace Gilliland,

Rod and Ethel Sartwell, Ken Mush-

rush and Roycenne Vignati, Ron and

Ginger Cleavelin, David and Eliza-

beth Hubl, Joe and Erma Wise, June

Guess, Carl Threlkeld, Gilbert and

Lois Stagner, Don and Lavonna Kin-

namon, Polly Middleton, Dwayne and

Dee Davis, Jerry and Irene Slutz.

Rally hosts Randy Plant and Dave De-

muth got everyone squared-away at the

first gathering of the rally Thursday night.

You might want to ask Dave about his dog

not being able to reach the clean-up sup-

plies?!?

Above the rally finished on a musical note

with entertainment provided by special

guests George and Darline Archer. Ron

Wadley also brought a short message

before most loaded up and headed north

into a furious north wind.

Pictured at the left everyone lines up as

the host sserve another generous meal.

Story continued from Page 3

May Page 5

May Rally Schedule of Events

Early Arrivals: If interested, Golf at Firelake Course - $23 Sr. Green Fee/includes cart

Wednesday, May 15 Early Arrivals

5:00 Dutch Treat Dinner at Benedict Market (salad, soups, sandwiches, burgers)

Thursday, May 16

2:30 Phone App Roundtable: All Meet in Rally room to Share Favorite Apps

5:00 Social Time: Bring your own beverages and enjoy visiting

6:00 Dinner: Pulled Pork Sandwiches, Macaroni and Potato Salads, Cookies Activity: Card bingo: Please bring 10 dimes per person

Friday, May 17

Breakfast on Your Own due to early drive departure

8:45 Leave to drive to National Weather Center, 120 David Boren Blvd, Norman

10:00 National Weather Center Tour – Free 1 1/2hr tour includes video, NOAA Storm Prediction Center, Natl. Weather Service Forecast Center, Natl. Severe Storms Lab, observation deck, School of Meteorology classroom. Led by meteorolo gists. (5 floors, but has elevators and benches)

Noon: Dutch Treat Lunch at Golden Corral, Norman $7.69 Sr.

Afternoon: Individual or small group tours also suggested in Norman area: OU Switzer Center Legends Lobby (OU Football Museum) (3 floors) -- free OU Fred Jones Museum of Art -- 400 paintings, 3300 items --free OU Jacobsen House Native American Center/ Kiowa Five art of 1920’s -free OU Sam Noble OK Museum of Natural History -- 500 million years of natural history -- 2 floors – Seniors $4 fee or use

coupons Museum of Osteology (south of I-40 on Sunnylane) – 300 skeletons $5 Sr. or use coupons

6:00 Dinner: Slaw Dogs or chili or sauerkraut, baked beans, Root beer floats. Bring your own games

Saturday, May 18

9:00 Breakfast: Omelets in a bag, biscuits, fruit, and juice

10:30 Business Meeting – Dave and Darlene Demuth, President

Choir Practice to Follow

Lunch on Your Own

2:30 Craft with Faye Shelton and June Guess and Tech Session with Gary Van Fossen

5:00 Social Time: Bring your own beverages and enjoy visiting

6:00 Dinner: Brisket, green beans/potatoes, green salad, rolls, dessert Activity: Group Game plus bring your own games

Sunday, May 19

8:30 Breakfast: Donuts, fruit, juice

Devotional and Choir

Please bring plates, cups, and flatware to all meals

See you at the next rally at the Choctaw KOA in Durant June 27-30

May Rally – Shawnee, OK – May 16-19, 2013

Potawatomi Campground 1700 South Gordon Cooper Drive

Shawnee, Oklahoma 74801 405.406.8118 (Host Earl Powell’s Cell Phone #)

Directions: From I-40 and Highway 177, South on Highway 177 to Hardesty Road (Sonic Drive-In on the Southeast Corner). Turn left (East) on Hardesty Road and travel one (1) mile to the stoplight at Gordon Cooper Drive. Turn right (South) on Gordon Cooper Drive for approximately 1/4 mile to the stoplight where you will turn right into the parking lot of the campground. (Note: The campground is located behind the miniature golf course on the

west side of Gordon Cooper Drive.)

Cost: Rally Fee is $15/person attending rally and should be mailed with the registration be- low. Camping cost is $18/night and payable to the rally host upon arrival. (Camping

fees must be in cash or check - no credit cards. Checks should be made out to CPN - Citizen Pota watomi Nation)

Sites: Sites are 30/50 amp full hookup Registration: Deadline is May 6th. Rally registration checks should be made payable to Happy (OK) Wanderers and mailed to: Jerry and Irene Slutz 3930 East 110 Street Tulsa, OK 74137 918.298.4924 or 918.645.6387 Hosts: Earl and Mary Powell, Judy Janicke, Faye Shelton, Jerry and Irene Slutz, Kenny Mushrush and Roycene Vignati, Rod and Ethel Sartwell

May Rally – Shawnee, OK – May 16-19, 2013

Potawatomi Campground 1700 South Gordon Cooper Drive

Shawnee, Oklahoma 74801

Name: _________________________ Cell Phone #: ______________________

Arrival Date: ________________ ___ Coach Brand: ______________________

Coach Length: ________ No. of Slides: ______ Special Needs: ______________

(Handicapped, Close to meeting Room, etc.)

No. of People Attending Rally _____ x $15/person = _______

Page 6

Yes, I will arrive in time Wednesday Evening to eat with the group at Benedict Market - Count us In!

Yes, The following people will tour the Weather Center: ____________________, ___________________ Please Print each name of the persons going on the tour of the Weather Center in Norman on Friday of the Rally.

May